Method and apparatus of load sharing and improving fault tolerance in an interactive video distribution system

Abstract

Apparatus and method providing improved fault tolerance through redundancy of hardware and software suitable for use in a head-end of an interactive information distribution system. Communications between each of a head-end controllers and each of the server modules are coincidentally sent along at least two signal paths to provide to additional fault tolerance in the event one of the signal paths becomes inoperable. In one embodiment, a video switch comprises a plurality of I/O ports coupled between a plurality of server modules and a plurality of subscriber equipment for transferring video information between the server and the subscriber equipment. A primary and secondary switch controller are each coupled to the head-end controllers and the plurality of I/O ports. The primary switch controller is used for routing data packets containing said video information between the plurality of I/O ports. The secondary switch controller monitors status of the primary switch controller and I/O ports, and initiates a switchover event in an instance where the primary switch controller exhibits a failure.